


Spying Spectacle

by Aanya_Inure



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Also titled: Confused and Thirsty Goro Akechi, DENIAL ISN'T JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT, Except Akechi, Inspired from Dancing Star Night, Just that everyone has a semi crush on him but they all cool about it, M/M, Maxed out Akira, So AU for that reason only I guess :p, Sort of everyone/akira, They're all 18 except for Futaba here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 09:47:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15838755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aanya_Inure/pseuds/Aanya_Inure
Summary: This was written on my phone while traveling across two states. So if it's a bit meh, forgive me ;w;Insomnia kept me awake, so while at the hotels, I spent my nights watching Dancing Star Night videos and got this idea. It started out supposed to be humor/crack and turned into whatever this mess is.





	Spying Spectacle

**Author's Note:**

> This was written on my phone while traveling across two states. So if it's a bit meh, forgive me ;w;
> 
> Insomnia kept me awake, so while at the hotels, I spent my nights watching Dancing Star Night videos and got this idea. It started out supposed to be humor/crack and turned into whatever this mess is.

Infiltration is perhaps not the word to use, but Akechi finds that having....'joined' the Phantom Thieves makes for an interesting perspective, despite being for less than homely reasons. He, of course, had figured out who the Phantom Thieves were, and calculated (with the help- no, the demands of Shido, his inner voice snarls) a plan on how to manipulate them to their own destruction. Child's play. It was like one large performance upon a scarlet curtained theater. All he had to do was play his part and the slots would fall as he commanded.

( _Yeah right_ , that shoulder demon whispers again. _Puppet strings_ , it screams. _What could have been_ , it reminds him in a flicker of wickedly tempting gray eyes.)

A familiar, practiced mental swipe clears such voices.

Now in the circle of the darling thieves who dreamt in naive colors of justice, the detective can easily say that it is an amusing outlook if nothing else. He won't let himself be pulled in by such frivolity, his rage too deep like boils under his skin; but he will let himself fill his role and experience what comes with it.

He simply did not know that such a role would play into this territory.

It happens in complete coincidence.

He's in a long line to buy bakery goods from a place with a 4.6 out of 5 rating average across the forum polls, when he sees them. His 'teammates'.

Upon closer inspection, sans their leader.

This fact both dampens and ignites his curiosity.

Without their leader, what could they be doing that was at all worth paying mind to? Kurusu, Akechi admits only to himself, is.... magnetic. Stupidly, incredulously, so. 

( _What's so special about someone like him?? So plain. So boring. Why does that piece of trash have fate fall into his hands?! It's incorrigible! It's _unfair-!)__

( _Plain? Boring? Another part of him laughs. Those words are far from red gloves, coat tails spreading like black wings, secret silver eyes- nights spent leaning over a prime cup of coffee and conversations captivating. Word play like a language maze, secrets like a spider web- but who's the fly?_ ) 

__Yet because of this, Akechi can't help but wonder what the snake is doing without their head. Could they do anything other than wiggle and squirm?_ _

__Ann spots him first, he reads the surprised "it's Akechi!" from her lips at a distance still, and watches the peel of heads turn towards him one by one._ _

__Some he can see the immediate caution in, Sakamoto being transparent in his dislike with a single pinched expression. Everyone else, at least, has the decency to either hide their contempt, or remain reasonably neutral._ _

__He decides to approach them, stepping out of line to meet them where they stand, silver case pulled before his knees in a two hand clasp. "Why hello there!" he smiles, charm charged up to 100 watt. "I didn't expect to see you all here. Is there a group meeting I was unaware of?" He says passively, knowing the intended effect would settle immediately. The underlying: "that I wasn't invited to?" dragging another number of expressions from the group of teens. Some hesitant, some concerned, others irritated._ _

__And is it so wrong he takes pleasure in the irate clench of the young-Nijima's jaw?_ _

__Okumura steps forward, shaking her head. "No! We wouldn't exclude you like that Akechi-kun! Our gathering has nothing to do with the usual business."_ _

__"She's right!" Ann pitches. "We were just on our way to-" and here she falters, suddenly looking absent of words. "Uhhh..."_ _

__Makoto picks up the dropped ball. "We simply have a routine of getting together for a period every two weeks at this time," she delivers calmly._ _

___Oh dear_ , surely her jaw will be sore later though, won't it. He holds back a smirk._ _

__Both eyebrows raise, as Akechi tilts his head, smile unfettered. "Oh? That sounds delightful." Here he moves his case to one hand. "Though, I noticed Kurusu is missing. Does he not join you on this outing?"_ _

__Several of them seem to freeze, like a cat caught with a paw dipping in the fish bowl._ _

__Curiouser and curiouser._ _

__The detective in him itches._ _

__Wakaba's daughter peeps around a shoulder, still instinctively shy. "He's busy around this time, so he can't join us!" she chirps._ _

__"Indeed he is." Kitagawa swipes his bangs away elegantly, then proceeds to pull a sketchpad and charcoal pencil pack out of seemingly nowhere. "Today is the day!" he builds, eyes shining. "I will truly capture the essence of our leader to-hnk!" An elbow silences him._ _

__"Yusuke!" Takamiki hisses, unsubtle._ _

__"Stupid Inari!"_ _

__"Oh dear..."_ _

__"Way to be effin suspicious!"_ _

__Makoto face-palms._ _

__Akechi smiles, sick amusement fueling a genuine upturn of his lips. He hides the edges of it well. "My, how I've grown curious." His smile stays, but his eyes challenge. "Would you mind if I accompany you?"_ _

__Sakamoto sours, kicking the ground in a scuff of his shoe. "Weren't you in line for food or somethin'?" he grumbles._ _

__"I can come another time. I was simply hoping to try some of their pastries I've heard good news about." Stepping into the group, he's all sunshine. "But time spent with all of you sounds much more interesting. It must be something fun for you all to turn it into a tradition." He lathers on the pretty words as easy as breathing._ _

__When there's an uneasy silence, he pulls a wounded look, his hands twitching around his case handle demurely. "U-unless it truly is a bother for me to be around...I understand my presence may be unwanted. I can excuse myself-"_ _

__"I-it's not that we wouldn't want you with Akechi!" Ann insists, and he's pleased with how easily she has snagged on the act. "It's just," her pigtail twirls around her finger. "I'm not sure what we do will be of.... interest to you? W-we all sort of accidentally stumbled upon having a similar...appreciation of...but it's...I'm not sure- uhhh."_ _

___How articulate_ , he sneers in his head._ _

__Before he can form another syllable to such a stuttered response, the heiress gives a startle. "Ah! The time! We must be going!"_ _

__Nijima frowns. "You're right, but what about-"_ _

__"Ugh! Who cares at this point?! Pretty boy can come with and do what he wants! We have to goooo!" Sakura shakes one of their shoulders and starts pulling the artist along._ _

__Slowly, they all seem to come to agreement with the hermits attitude toward the situation._ _

__Akechi follows his eager and disgruntled 'teammates'._ _

__And if he snickers quietly in victory, who's to know?_ _

__

__~_ _

__

__This...  
This is not what he expected._ _

__This is not what he signed up for._ _

__His body is tense, standing with the others, mind swirling in a pool of bafflement, disbelief, and a chant of 'abort abort!'._ _

__He tries to speak, but it feels like peanut butter is stuck to the roof of his mouth. "Th-this is what you guys do?!"_ _

__Three harsh hushes._ _

__"Quiet Detechi! Sheesh!" Futaba exclaims. "You're as bad as Inari!"_ _

__"If ya don't wanna be here, you can leave," Ryuji totally-straight-always-talking-about-girls Sakamoto slurs. "No 'n forced you ta come."_ _

And that's just it. He wants to leave. No, he _needs_ to leave. He cannot, _will not_ sit here and...and _ogle_. He can't believe _all of them_ do this! Like it's a hobby! What is- why.... 

__Another flex._ _

__Akechi swallows._ _

__All seven of them, some standing, some sitting or crouched, stand in a large storage room. Mats, exercise equipment parts, and stray weights are shoved non-hazardously along the walls. A one way mirror takes up the entirety of the inner wall, and through it a window to the studio before them._ _

__Akira Kurusu is on the other side, oblivious to his audience, and occupied with the bar he's performing pull ups on. His sweats fall low on his hips, and his wife beater gives full view to the beautiful bend and tremble of his biceps. There's a glisten to his skin from exertion, having worked up a healthy sweat as he continues through his routine._ _

__Speaking of sweat, is it hot in there? Goro swipes at the hair gathered at his neck. He can hear the music coming from the speaker Kurusu has plugged in, the slight scratch of pencil on paper from Kitagawa sketching away, the click of rapid fire camera pictures from Sakura's cell. Beside him, the rest all wear similar expressions of admiration, blatant appreciation, and naked desire._ _

__Not that the detective can take notice. His eyes have yet to leave the pale form of his rival._ _

__Said rival suddenly maneuvers mid air around the bar, bringing his legs up and hugging the bar with the curl behind his knees, leaving him dangling upside down. His shirt takes to gravity, falling to bunch at his neck._ _

__Haru fans her face, Makoto blushes her shame, but stares._ _

__Charming Detective Prince Goro Akechi chokes on his own saliva._ _

__Morgana sits just nearby his leader, high, chirpy voice in full trainer mode as his tail whisks the floor._ _

__"Twenty of these Joker. Then onto leg stretches."_ _

__Joker gives him an upside down nod, hands folding behind his head as he begins. In practiced motion, he curls his torso up-_ _

__Ann titters something cheekily to Ryuji. The faux blonde blushes and tells her to shove off._ _

__Akechi is leaving. This is ridiculous. The Phantom Thieves are even more childish than he first thought, and he's leaving cause this benefits his cause not at all. He's leaving._ _

__He doesn't move._ _

__Akira's on his fifteenth curl when the door to the studio opens. Morgana gives a light bristle, and Joker freezes._ _

__"Why if isn't my favorite assistant~!" A woman walks in, her shoulders naturally poised and outfit violently purple. The hiding thieves all examine this unfamiliar face in surprise. Assistant?_ _

__Quickly, Kurusu unfurls and hops down. Morgana sits straight, tail curling around his butt as he appears to have stilled to statue proportions._ _

__The newcomers hair is as unnaturally red as her lips, tied high and lying long in a ponytail to her shoulders. There's wrinkles mapped across her cheeks and the corners of her eyes, settled lightly with her tan and sparkly eye shadow. Despite the age in the outlines of her face, her body remains shapely, smile pleasant. A primadonna past her prime but still brilliant._ _

__She stops in front of the teen, arms crossing as she looks at Morgana. "Darling, I told you, no kitty in here! Many a time!"_ _

__Akira's hand goes to his neck, he shrugs, sheepish. "Sorry Madam."_ _

__"Not a kitty..." Morgana meows quietly, but looks reprimanded, ears bowed._ _

__The woman laughs, wagging a manicured finger. "Only because it's you, I allow it! Be sure he no sheds on my clean floors though, yes?"_ _

__Joker's smile is stupidly sideways, small, and charming as always, Crow ~~swoons~~ seethes._ _

__The woman claps, loudly it echoes along with her laughter. "Now then! Let me get good look at you, yes? Still in good health?" Her fingers take his chin, he lets her, hands in his pockets as his face is turned side to side._ _

__"Mm, yes yes. Loves it when you take off those silly spectacles! Such jawline and eyes should not be hidden!" She scolds him, completely kindly._ _

__Kurusu winks. "Just for you Madam."_ _

__Akechi's scoff is lost under the sound of another boisterous laugh. "You silly boy! Save such words for pretty young lady, not old woman like myself!"_ _

__She lets go of his chin and steps back, nodding. "Yes, so good to see you again. But interrupted you for a reason I did! My next class begins soon, you see. Not ten minutes!"_ _

__The teen turns, grabbing a towel to dab sweat off his brow and unplug his music. "My apologies. I didn't realize you had class today. I can leave right away."_ _

__Madam pats his chest. "Nonsense! You stay and help!"_ _

__Akira looks exasperated but fond. "Madam, I don't think I-"_ _

__"Please tell me you no say you can't dance. I see you last time you help. Wonderful! Magnificent! Kids loved you!" the woman talks with her hands as much as her mouth, circling the still casually standing teen as he shakes his head, quietly chuckling at her antics. "I let you use place for your workout I do! Plus, I pay you good cash last you helped, no? " she baits._ _

__"You always treat me well Madam," he plays along, before giving a sigh the entire watching team is familiar with: resignation. Hand perching at his shoulder, he gives his neck a solid rotation. With a click of his tongue, he looks at her through his (stupidly long) eyelashes, "...what age group will it be?"_ _

__Madam claps, leaning forward to give both his cheeks an air kiss. "Fantastic! I knew could count on you, darling!"_ _

__Goro startles from his stupor. Now is the time to leave. Just like he should have _since they first arrived_. The others must be leaving too._ _

__Surely, the show is over, right?_ _

__Wrong._ _

__The group is practically vibrating in contained excitement. Kitagawa frantically turning to a blank page in his sketchpad, Makoto and Haru huddled in gushed whispers of excitement and surprise, all of them abuzz._ _

__"A dance class? Since when-"_ _

"Oh my gosh, this is going to be _golden_. I can't wait to send this to Kana." 

__"How come he's never told us about this?"_ _

__"I'm actually not surprised. I mean, have you seen him in the Metaverse?"_ _

__Incredible._ _

__Incredible in a completely idiotic way._ _

__Well they may be staying, but that does not mean Akechi plans to as well. Certainly not._ _

__He heads for the storage room door, ready to make his escape and never think about this ever again, when the sound of footsteps on the other side keep him frozen._ _

__The studio lobby is just beyond, he recalls. Students have started flooding in. His grip on the door handle goes as white knuckle as the one on his brief case. Could he slip by the trickle of teens? Unnoticed and unrecognized?_ _

__Unlikely._ _

__He may not be as well received by some as he used to, but his fan base is still at large. Worst case scenario, he could even run into a Phantom Thieves maniac that makes a scene against him._ _

__More footsteps, and more on their way._ _

__His escape has been cut off._ _

_Damn it._

__Slowly, he shuffles back over to the enamored team, all of whom are still buzzing about like brainless bees. He pulls his phone and checks the time, wondering just how long this torture would last. Thirteen to fifteen year olds have joined Madam and Kurusu in the studio. They stream in casually, socializing through the motions of changing their shoes, tying up hair, and setting water bottles aside._ _

__Kurusu, Akechi finds, is moving the speaker he'd been using to one corner of the room, plugs it in, and proceeds to pick up another, carrying the boxy object to where Madam points with her polished nail. As he's setting up the second one, the younger teens begin to notice the eighteen year old among them._ _

__"Kurusu-san!"_ _

__"Senpai! I didn't know you were helping out again today!"_ _

__"Dude, awesome! Yo 'Kira-san!"_ _

__"Kira-chan is back?! I'm so happy!"_ _

__The detectives mouth sours. _He's_ the one that's supposed to be fawned over. _He's_ the one with the fans. _He's_ the detective prince. He's crawled his way from an orphanage to the limelight. Torn the sanity from any citizen or other that Shido commands disappear. He's worked so _hard_. On his image, his mannerisms, his _everything_. _ _

__"What the- since when does he get girls' attention?!"_ _

__"Ryuji...you're so blind."_ _

__"No way! Mishima, Akira, n' I always struck out when tryin' to pick up girls!"_ _

__"Probably cause the moment you opened your mouth they were turned off."_ _

__"What?! Why you-"_ _

__How does this _delinquent_ keep getting things so easily! Have everything just _happen_ to him!_ _

__( _And just what does that freshman think she's doing? Akira's not a freaking ladder, she doesn't have to hang off him like that. Why isn't he pushing her away?_ )_ _

__A small crowd, those who've obviously met him at a previous date, forms around Joker. His face remains calm, despite the sudden swarm. He smiles, small but sincere, as he's barraged with questions of all kinds._ _

__Another clap. "Class, gather forward! We begin right away, right away!" Madam walks towards the mirror, back to her reflection where the thieves hide. "Yes yes, we have company as some of you familiar with! This is assistant of mine who comes 'round every so! Akira-kun!"_ _

__Akira gives a nod to the group._ _

__"Let us show him what we doing here, shall we? He not knows our routine yet, but quick learner! Listen to what he say, yes?"_ _

__"Yes Madam!" the students choir back. A few giggle._ _

__"Excellent! And so, we begin!"_ _

__Akechi exhales._ _

__This is going to take forever._ _

__

__~_ _

__

__The time goes by fast._ _

__Two hours passing in repeated music and moves, inching through the routine in three step fragments: Goro is going to have this song stuck in his head for the next eternity. He's also sure he's memorized the moves as well as the dancers by this point. And of course, to add salt to an already open wound-_ _

( _Gaping. Gaping wound. Gaping like his mouth had when first he began watching his enemy move his legs in angles he didn't know he could, flicks his wrists as cool as could be. Akechi wants and he hates and he waits. He wants to let himself lean closer, metaphorically and physically, but too much is at stake. He hates himself for allowing such a fissure to appear in his marble mask. Hadn't he numbed years ago? Has his natural novocaine run thin in his veins? He waits. He waits for the day when a bullet will sink between silver eyes at his own hand. When annoying Akira Kurusu is finally dead and gone. Akechi waits to embrace the relief and regret that may come. What will it be? Will it feel like victory? Or will the taste of coffee be too bitter to swallow forevermore? Does any of that matter in the looming shadow of his ultimate goal?_ ) 

__-as Madam calls a closing for her class, she turns to her assistant and insists, as a send off to the students, that he perform a freestyle example. When going to decline, shaking his head, the entire room begins to whoop and holler._ _

__"Come on Senpai!  
"Yay Kira-chan!"  
"Please pretty please!!"  
"Show us how it's done Senpai!" 

__Akira relents, giving an assured shrug. "How can a gentleman refuse?"_ _

__Sakura gasps. "That smooth mother-"_ _

__"Language!"_ _

__"Yeah yeah, whatever Momkoto."_ _

__The music starts and Joker takes the floor like it's his stage._ _

__Watching him twirl and jump around with the beat, Akechi steps closer to the window, leaning his hand against the one way glass, his weight pressed to his palm. Eyes following the fluid motions of the other, the detective is suddenly struck tired. Just tired. Tired of feeling things, tired of holding back, resisting. Of playing pretend._ _

__His forehead falls as well, resting his head near his palm, but his eyes refuse to shutter, maroon still missile tracking to Akira's movement._ _

__The crescendo is falling, the dance descending to its end as he spins and stops-_ _

__Right in front of Goro._ _

__Akechi's heart stutters; breath hitching. Joker stands parallel, hand lined with the gloved one of his own, forehead nestled against his own with but a thin barrier between them._ _

__A storm stares back at him._ _

_....can he see me? Does he know I'm here? Impossible...and yet-_

__Gut curling with emotion, he presses harder into the barricade, hand curling into a claw and shutting his eyes. So close, so close so close, he's so close! He can almost taste the breath on his lips almost almost._ _

__Reopening his eyes takes his breath away again. Akira's still there, his expression has changed to want, to reaching. Reaching for him, for Goro Akechi. When was the last time someone has looked at him like that?_ _

__And then the applause starts, and Kurusu pulls away, face falling back to amiable smiles and he's bowing to the class, to Madam's dazzling and proud grin._ _

__Akechi withdraws from the wall slowly, ignoring any of the glances the more observant thieves are sending him. He begins folding himself back into his mold, like crushing clay into its correct shape. In careful motions, he picks up the case he had set down and rights himself, doing his best to ignore the sticky, clingy emotions still stuck in his chest._ _

__He's silent through the students flooding out, Madam giving her assistant his pay and another round of air kisses-_ _

__"Tell Lala-chan hello hello for me, yes?"_ _

__-and quiet still when the Phantom Thieves are all sneaking out of the studio, talking and cooing among themselves as they prepare to head home._ _

__He nods and smiles along when Makoto crowds him and makes him swear he won't breathe a word to Akira about this even if he doesn't join them on their escapades. And as all is settled, he begins his journey home._ _

__On his train, he gets a text from Ann._ _

_Ann: Hey akechi-kun! sorry if today wasn't your thing :( but we do this every tuesday and ur always welcome to join! Nothing wrong with a little eye candy ;)_

The train reaches his stop as his thumb hovers over his screen. The doors slide open, and he presses send. 

_Akechi: Count me in._

_~_

**Author's Note:**

> Did Akira know anyone was there by using his third eye to see through the mirror? Up to you reader ;)


End file.
